ABC has filed a First Amendment lawsuit against the US Federal Communications Commission, accusing the Trump administration of running "a retaliatory campaign" against the network because it dislikes ABC's coverage. The suit seeks to block an early licence renewal review of eight ABC-owned stations, arguing the process is politically motivated and threatens press freedom across the broader media industry.

The FCC ordered ABC to file renewal applications within 30 days back in April, a day after Donald and Melania Trump called for Jimmy Kimmel's sacking over on-air remarks (Disney had already briefly suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live over separate comments). ABC says the licences were not due for renewal for at least 2.5 years, in one case over five years, and that such an early, simultaneous review had not happened in over 50 years. The network also cites Trump's threat to revoke its licences after ABC declined to air a live presidential address in July, choosing to stream it instead, plus separate FCC probes into Disney's diversity practices and ABC's The View.